


Another Life (Taken)

by HorizonBoundStar



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Assassins & Hitmen, Eventual Romance, F/M, Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Reader-Insert, Romance, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 08:21:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23968291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HorizonBoundStar/pseuds/HorizonBoundStar
Summary: World-class hitman Levi Ackerman is sent to assassinate the reader, the daughter of a prominent FBI officer. However, after watching her for weeks to learn her routine, Levi seriously wishes that “taking her out” had a vastly different meaning in his field of work.I don’t know how the world of contract killing works, so to all you hitmen out there reading this, please don’t come after me if I get the details wrong.Rating and tags may change as further chapters are released.
Relationships: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/You, Levi/Reader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Wooo I'm starting a longer fic now!
> 
> I'm not really into (y/n) and stuff like that but since the reader's name is pretty important in this story, I've used it sparingly. Here's a quick key for what I've used so far.  
> (f/n) - First name  
> (l/n) - Last name  
> (y/n) - Your name

The shrill ringing of a phone shattered the eerie silence of the alley, its sound penetrating through the night. Dark clouds covered the moon, shrouding the land below in a suffocating darkness. A man picked up.

“What?”

“Captain, I need to discuss a job. Now.”

“Where?”

“Maria and Sina.”

The line went dead, leaving Levi staring in disdain at the phone in his gloved hand. The client was a regular. However, a job from him was often more trouble than it was worth. Scoffing to himself, the dark haired man made his way out of the alley, tossing the burner phone in a nearby trash can. The address he had been given was fairly close to his current position and he was well aware that he could be walking into a trap. His client had gone through the trouble of finding his location, which was no easy feat. Whatever he wanted, it was important.

The warm glow of the streetlights illuminated the path under Levi’s feet, his pitch black overcoat trailing behind him as he strode towards his destination. At this hour, the streets were empty, leaving behind only the sound of flickering lights and purposeful steps. Levi turned a corner, another corner, and yet another corner until he found himself standing before a dreary house. To his relief, the door, grimy with neglect, opened before he had a chance to knock on it.

A deep voice inside spoke. “You have kept us waiting.”

“Maybe if you didn’t call me in the dead of the night and demand to see me instantly, I could’ve come on time,” Levi retorted.

“It was of utmost importance,” the voice continued as Levi entered the house. 

“Well then? Spit it out. And turn on the lights, I’d rather not stand in the dark.”

The lights flickered on, revealing a house in disarray. A thick layer of dust covered the furniture inside, muting their colours. Dense cobwebs hung from the corners of the ceiling. Levi’s eyes narrowed in disgust as he took in his surroundings. A few men stood in the living room, all but one holding large guns in their arms. Henchmen. Levi knew that they wouldn’t hesitate to use those guns if it came down to it.

“Ah, captain, it is nice to see you again,” the man who had spoken before smiled, approaching Levi, “Now you see why the lights were off.”

“Tch, what do you want?”

As his commanding presence would suggest, the slim man towering over Levi was regarded by those who knew him as highly dangerous. Being the leader of a large drug cartel, Louis Bell had connections branching across multiple states as well as out of the country. Ruthless and calculating, he was known to order the deaths of his enemies without batting an eye. This case was no different.

“This afternoon, my second in command was shot and killed in an FBI crackdown. I seek revenge after the man who organized the crackdown, the man who killed my little brother. The section chief of the organized crime unit.”

“So what you’re saying is, you want me to take down a distinguished FBI agent? That’s not easy. It comes with a high price.”

“No. Your target is his daughter.”

Levi’s eyes widened just a fraction.

“I need him to feel the pain I do, and to send a message to others that _nobody_ messes with my family.”

The man paused to smile.

“What do you say, captain?”

“I don’t kill kids.”

“Ah, do not worry, they are in university, and by all means an adult.”

Levi hesitated before shaking his head. “Find someone else.”

“I am offering 40k,” Bell’s eyes grew dark, “and I need you on this job. You have a one hundred percent success rate, inhuman reflexes, and you never leave a trail. Her father is a fed and you are the only one who I can trust to pull this off without being caught.”

“Like I already said, not interested,” Levi scowled.

Bell’s eyes narrowed. “You forget the past, captain. You still owe me a favour. And unfortunately for you, I have already told you too much. I cannot allow you to leave this room alive with this knowledge unless I am certain that you will not reveal it.”

A tense silence filled the air. Levi could sense the stares of the henchmen burning into his back. He was hopelessly outnumbered and any wrong move would result in multiple bullets to the head. Even he wouldn’t be able to survive that.

“Make it 50k with a ten percent payment up front and we have a deal.”

Bell nodded. “Excellent. You will find yourself in possession of the down payment in the coming days. Moving on to the target. Her name is (f/n) (l/n) and she is currently attending Shiganshina University as a second-year student. I do not care how you kill her, just do it.”

He handed Levi a picture of what he assumed to be his target.

“I will pay for your flight expenses, but I expect you to supply things such as your own equipment or any other forms of transportation. I assume you have associates at your destination?”

“Of course,” Levi scoffed, inspecting the girl’s features.

“Good, please do your best.”

The shorter man turned to leave. “As if I have any other choice.”

Walking out, he paused under the arch of the door.

“And clean this mess up.”

A gentle breeze ruffled Levi’s hair as he descended down the steps of the weathered house. The clouds had parted just enough to reveal a few slivers of moonlight, casting a cold hue on the street. Another hit, another city, another dead, repeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know that these types of things are always organized online buuut it’s much more interesting and dramatic writing it happening in person so here we are. Anyways, apologies if I get any details wrong, I’ve never been a hitman before.


	2. Chapter 2

The lecture hall echoed with chatter as student upon student filed in. Those leaving were forced to fight the steady flow of traffic. To his luck, Levi had quickly learned of Shiganshina University’s large student body. In this setting, and despite his older age, blending in was hardly an issue. Wearing a simple gray hoodie and black jeans, he looked like any other student sitting at the back of the room paying little attention to the professor. Instead, Levi was intently focused on a girl sitting near the front of the lecture hall.

Finding his target so quickly had simply been a stroke of luck. He had only intended on exploring the campus today when he spotted you walking to class. He followed and found himself in this lecture room, watching as you pulled a laptop from your bag. A girl in the row in front of him groaned.

“I don’t even know why I came to psych today. I should have just skipped. What was I thinking signing up for an 9:30 class that’s on Mondays?”

So that’s what this class was. Psychology.

Levi snapped out of his thoughts as he noticed two girls sit beside you. One immediately pulled out an entire baked potato. Your lack of surprise suggested that you were either too tired to care, or that this was a regular occurance. Levi suspected it to be the latter. The other girl had jet black hair, and you turned to talk to her. So these were your friends, he noted. He would have to sit much closer if he wanted to hear what you were saying.

* * *

You sighed, walking down the steps of the lecture hall to the area where you usually sat. You took a seat and began to unpack your bag, yawning. Despite abnormal psych being one of your favourite courses this semester, the lectures were scheduled far too early. Sasha had begged you to take “The Psychology of Eating” with her instead, but you had managed to convince her to join you in taking this morning class. You knew she regretted it dearly.

You smiled to yourself as you noticed Sasha and Mikasa approaching you.

“(y/n)!” Sasha wailed as she sat down beside you, “Why’d you make me take this class!”

“Technically, I didn’t make you do anything. You chose to take this yourself. I only provided you with some,” you paused, laughing, “encouragement.”

The brown haired girl grumbled something unintelligible as she took a baked potato out of the pocket of her coat. You turned to Mikasa.

“How’s practice been going?”

“It’s good,” she replied, “I’m going to the rink after class today.”

“I’ll come too when I’m done,” you offered.

You might not have been a figure skater, but the rink had a calming atmosphere, and you enjoyed watching Mikasa skate. Her upcoming competition was all the more reason to go cheer her on as she practiced.

“Don’t forget me!” Sasha butted in, “I wanna come too!”

Mikasa nodded in agreement, turning her attention to the professor, who had begun her lecture. You did the same, yet the feeling of someone watching you prompted you to look over your shoulder. The large mass of students looked the same as ever. You turned back around, focusing your attention on the lecture.

The day went by quickly, and you soon found yourself stepping off the bus in front of a building with the words “Trost Ice Skating Rink” on it. As you walked in, you noticed that the rink was completely empty excluding your friends. Armin sat at the bottom of the bleachers off to the side, head buried in a book. As usual, Mikasa was on the ice along with Eren and Jean, who appeared to be arguing. Even though the two hockey players were on the same team, they were intensely competitive. Despite that, they worked extraordinarily well together when necessary.

“Are you insane? You seriously want to try that during a game?”

“What? You’re just too scared!”

“Yeah right! Unlike you, I actually have a sense of self-preservation!”

“Horseface!”

“Suicidal bastard!”

The two boys looked as though they were ready to exchange blows. It wouldn’t be the first instance if they did. You decided that now was probably a good time to intervene.

“Hey guys!” You waved, drawing attention to yourself.

Armin waved back as the others skated over.

“Why’s it so empty in here?” You inquired curiously, “And where’s Sasha?”

Mikasa shrugged. “Sasha left to go get some food.”

“And by some miracle, we’re the only ones at the rink today,” Jean grinned, “Eren and I don’t have practice until later today, so this is basically free time to relax.”

“As if!” Eren irritatidly countered, “We should be using this time to run footwork drills!”

You watched as Jean’s smile fell. They were about to go at it again. You had no idea how Mikasa was able to tolerate those two together.

You turned to leave. “Okay, well, I’m going to go sit with Armin so… good luck guys!”

As you escaped towards the bleachers, Jean and Eren continued bickering behind you while Mikasa skated off. Stopping in front of Armin, you leaned forward with your elbows against the dasher board that acted as the barrier between ice and solid ground.

Mikasa’s skating was stunning. Her movements looked effortless as she glided across the ice. Many called her a prodigy, the next top skater, able to flawlessly deliver breathtaking performances. Watching her practice now, you knew that she had found her calling. You were so captivated by Mikasa’s skating that you didn’t notice Armin approaching you from behind.

“Hey.”

You jumped. “Oh! Hey Armin, I didn’t see you there, you startled me.”

You had been friends with the shorter blond for a while now, yet you knew little about him. He had always been closer with Eren and Mikasa.

“Sorry about that,” he apologized sheepishly.

You smiled, acknowledging his apology. The two of you turned to watch Mikasa in a comfortable silence. Eventually, Armin spoke up again.

“(y/n), your father, he’s an FBI agent right?”

“Yeah,” you nodded, “He’s a part of the organized crime unit. Why do you ask?”

“Is it hard with him being gone on cases so much?”

You hummed thoughtfully. “As a child it was hard for me at first. I didn’t understand why he was gone all the time.”

Mikasa’s skate hit the ice as she landed a jump.

“But as I got older, I realized that he was out there saving people. He’s a hero, and I look up to him a lot now. He’s the whole reason that I’m here working on a double major in criminal justice and psychology. I want to follow in his footsteps. So I guess when he’s gone on a case, I know he’s out there doing good. I’m proud to be his daughter.”

Mikasa began a spin, quickly picking up speed.

“The job is dangerous of course, especially being in the field, but it’s something both my father and I are willing to accept if it means helping those who need us.”

You watched as Mikasa fell. Were you really telling the truth? Were you ready to give up your life for others?

“What about you, Armin?” You asked, “Why are you here?”

Armin’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I’m studying to be a paleontologist! I’m certain there’s many fossils of species out there that we humans haven’t discovered yet. I want to find and analyze them myself! Imagine how much we could learn!”

“I think you’d make a great paleontologist,” you beamed at Armin. His passion was evident in his bright smile and enthusiastic words.

Were you the only one with doubts about yourself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not as much best boy Levi in this chapter but I promise the next one will have a lot more!!


	3. Chapter 3

Levi observed from afar as you got on the bus with a mob of other students. There was little point in tailing you now. The bus was far too small and you could easily begin to recognize him if he stuck that close to you all the time. All he could do for now was memorize the route number you were taking. Besides, he had more pressing matters to attend to than simply following you everywhere.

Levi made his way down the street towards the car he had rented. As usual, he operated under a fake ID, one of several that he cycled through. He had taken the precaution of parking farther away from campus and the walk gave him time to go over what he had learned today.

You were by all means an average university student. You couldn’t have strayed farther from his usual victim type. Levi had always followed the same pattern performing a hit. Don’t see the target as a person, but only as a goal. He knew exactly what to do. After all, he had done this too many times to count. Regardless, even on his first day of watching you, he couldn’t help but see you as a person. You shone with a blinding humanity that Levi had never seen before in his entire profession. Then again, his profession mostly consisted of working for criminals to kill criminals.

Reaching his car, he scowled. He couldn’t afford to see you as anything more than a target. If he started now, it would be a slippery slope that he wouldn’t be able to scale. That was simply how it was for all targets. Lose your footing and suddenly the job becomes a lot harder. Levi was determined not to let it happen.

The dark haired man stepped into his car. He needed more information on you. It was time to pay a visit to Bertholdt and Reiner. Although Levi had informants throughout the country, Bertholdt and Reiner were among the most reliable ones. If anyone could get him information, it was them.

Pulling up in front of a small apartment complex, Levi parked his car while eyeing his surroundings in disgust. The buildings around him were worn with age, strange stains seeping into the cracks of the dark red bricks. Slipping on his gloves, he swung open the first set of doors into the apartment. Levi inspected the faded numbers on the buzzer. The buttons offered little resistance under his fingers. 3. 0. 9.

He spoke into the microphone. “It’s me.”

The glass door leading into the lobby of the building clicked as it unlocked. The lobby was in the same state of disrepair as the exterior of the apartment. Outdated furniture had been placed around haphazardly as if to lessen its dreary appearance. The couches looked as though they hadn’t been used in years.

Levi knew better than to even attempt using the elevators, instead choosing to climb the stairs. Eventually, he found himself standing in front of a door with the numbers 309 on it. He knocked, waiting with his arms crossed.

A crash, resembling that of someone tripping and falling, came from inside the unit. After a pause, the door opened, revealing a broad shouldered figure.

“Captain! I haven’t seen you for awhile!”

“I need information,” Levi stated bluntly.

“Straight to the point as always,” the sandy haired man replied, “Come in.”

“Your apartment is repulsive, Reiner.”

Unwashed dishes were piled one on top of the other in the kitchen sink. Empty boxes of takeout lined the dining table. A few books were scattered across the floor, while small knick knacks littered the living room.

Reiner gave Levi an apologetic look. “Sorry captain, we’ll clean up once you leave. Anyways, Bertholdt’s in here as usual.”

He led Levi into a small room with various displays and monitors secured to the walls. A large desk sat at the far end of the room. A man with black hair, who was far too tall for said desk, sat hunched over it with a laptop in front of him. He turned around nervously as Levi and Reiner entered the room, acknowledging them with an awkward wave of his hand.

Reiner spoke up. “So, you need info on another target?”

“Her name is (f/n) (l/n),” Levi elaborated, “She’s a second year student enrolled in Shiganshina University.”

“Woah, captain, getting younger aren’t we?” Reiner laughed. He quickly fell silent at the sight of Levi’s glare.

Sweating, Bertholdt typed frantically at his keyboard. Levi was certain that Bertholdt, who happened to be much over a head taller than him, was terrified of him.

“Um, okay, I- I think I found her,” Bertholdt stammered.

As he continued typing, various images, documents, and pieces of information popped up on the screens surrounding the group.

“It looks like she’s studying criminal justice and psychology,” Bertholdt muttered, “I can get her full schedule for you.”

“Hey, this kid’s dad is a fed,” Reiner pointed out, reading from one of the monitors, “He’s gonna be pissed when he finds her dead.”

Levi ignored him. “Bertholdt, find where she lives.”

“Yes sir!” Bertholdt replied, jolting up in his chair. After a moment, he pulled up a map on one of the empty screens.

“Uh, it looks like she lives by herself in an apartment pretty close to campus. I’ll send the address to whatever phone you’re using right now.”

“Good. I also need all the other usual info. Where she eats, her hobbies, interests, anything you can get your hands on.”

Bertholdt nodded vigorously in response. Meanwhile, Reiner narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“Captain, what’s with this hit? She’s nothing like your usual targets. She hasn’t done a single thing wrong in her life. I know you don’t care about that, but, this just feels wrong.”

Levi's gaze grew darker. “Tch. It’s none of your business.”

Reiner hesitantly nodded. Bertholdt sweated. An awkward silence filled the room.

The taller man finally spoke. “I need some time to compile all this stuff. Could you pass me your phone so I know where to send everything when I’m done?”

Levi complied, handing Bertholdt one of his phones.

“Where is she right now?”

“One moment,” Bertholdt took his attention off the phone, instead focusing it on searching for you.

“Looks like she’s at Trost Ice Skating Rink,” he continued.

“Does she skate?” Reiner asked.

“Not professionally. Looks like one of her friends does, though.”

Levi hummed, deep in thought while Bertholdt returned his phone. So far everything that he had found pointed to an easy hit. Unlike his usual target demographic, you would be painfully unaware of anyone trying to kill you. Despite that, Levi had to be careful. It wasn’t the hit that would be hard this time. Rather, it was being attentive enough not to leave a trail that the FBI could follow. To do that, he would have to watch you closer than usual.

“Bertholdt,” Levi ordered, pointing at the screen with the map, “I need you to get me a unit in that apartment building opposite of her’s. Today.”

Bertholdt’s eyes widened with surprise. “Don’t you already have somewhere to live?”

“I need a place where I can watch her.”

“Creepy…” Reiner muttered under his breath.

“I can’t do that in a few hours!” Bertholdt cried, “I mean, maybe I can manipulate their system if it’s online and make it seem like you’re moving in today. What name are you operating under right now?”

Levi handed him his current ID.

“Okay, um, give me a bit,” Bertholdt mumbled.

A few minutes went by as Levi continued to read about you from the screens. Reiner was right, you were nothing like his usual targets. You woke up, went to class, sometimes went to the rink, went home, studied, worked on hobbies, and went to bed. Frankly, it sounded boring.

“I think I got it!” Bertholdt exclaimed excitedly, “Except the landlord might be a little confused when they don’t remember you whatsoever. And it’ll be up to you to pay the rent.”

Levi nodded, taking back his ID. “Good job. If there isn’t anything else, I’m leaving. Remember to send me everything you found on her.”

As he walked out of the apartment unit, he overheard Bertholdt whispering to Reiner.

“What if someone asks him to kill us? How do we know he won’t turn on us? I mean, we don’t even know his real name!”

That was right. In his line of work, even Levi’s close confidants couldn’t trust him. Nor could he trust them. He had accepted his solitary way of life a long time ago. The only thing that mattered now was successfully performing his job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A great thank you to all who have read this! And get ready for things picking up next chapter!!


	4. Chapter 4

Levi had been following you for a month now. An uneventful, monotonous, and long month. So far, your routine was incredibly predictable. On Mondays you usually went straight home after your lectures. Due to a night class, you stayed on campus for the whole day on Tuesdays. Wednesdays meant that you would be at the shooting range for an hour. Levi assumed that it had to do with your criminal justice aspirations. On Thursdays you volunteered at a soup kitchen downtown after class. You spent most of your time on Fridays at the rink with your friends. 

You rarely ever skipped class, meaning that Levi could still have an inkling of where you were, even if he didn’t follow you to every lecture. Regardless, he had chosen to come to sociology, your first class of the day on Fridays. As usual, you were sitting at the front of the class, diligently taking notes as the professor spoke about the social explanations of criminal behaviour. Levi had to admit that you were dedicated, and your determination was apparent in all of your actions.

Scanning the room, Levi did a double take as his eyes landed on a man sitting on the opposite side of the lecture hall. The hood of the man’s brown jacket was pulled above his head, evidently to hide his face. Although Levi had seen his fair share of questionable figures on campus before, the hooded man’s posture struck him as oddly familiar. He sat casually, leaning back in his seat. Unlike Levi, he made little attempt at blending in, not even having a notebook or laptop in front of him. 

Was he after you as well?

It was possible, but unlikely. Although your father had made many enemies, Levi reasoned, the chance that two of them had ordered a hit on you at the same time was low. Despite that, Levi was certain that he had never seen this man in your sociology class before. His sudden appearance was undeniably suspicious. There was little Levi could do now without drawing attention to himself. He would simply have to keep an eye out for more people following you. 

* * *

Throughout the rest of your classes, the hooded man was nowhere to be found. Though he hadn’t spotted anyone else following you, Levi couldn’t shake the feeling that the man earlier was bad news. His demeanour was painfully recognizable, yet Levi was unable to pinpoint where he remembered it from.

Sighing in exasperation, Levi sat down in the cheap, wooden desk he had bought for the apartment that Bertholdt helped him rent. The desk was positioned facing the window, allowing Levi to see across into your apartment, given that your blinds were open. Seeing as it was Friday, you were most likely at the rink with your friends.

Booting up his laptop, Levi immediately opened a messaging program. Bertholdt and Reiner had developed it to be untraceable, with messages automatically deleting themselves after a short period of time. It was the best way to contact them when he wasn't able to or didn’t want to visit in person. Despite his initial doubts, Levi had to admit that the app had been useful on various occasions in the past. He began typing a message, to which Bertholdt promptly replied.

_Captain: Hey. Has anyone else asked you for information on my target._

_Bertall30: No, why?_

_Captain: Just wanted to know. Is anyone other than me following her?_

_ReinRein420: captain!!! how r u doin??_

_Captain: Go away._

_Bertall30: I’ll look into if she’s being followed, get back to you later_

_Captain: Good._

_Bertall30: Btw, your target’s friend has some skating competition this Sunday_

_Bertall30: She has tickets to go_

_Bertall30: I got you one, sending it now_

_-PDF received from Bertall30-_

_Captain: Thanks._

_ReinRein420: u should have dinner with us captain!! :D_

_-Captain has disconnected-_

As Levi shut his laptop, the lights of your apartment turned on. Even from a distance he could see that you were exhausted. Grabbing some food, you immediately threw yourself onto the couch, turning on the television. Levi watched, binoculars in hand, as you slowly fell asleep with the TV still on. One of your arms hung off the side of the couch, while the other settled over your stomach. 

Your face was peaceful, blissfully unaware that as of now, there were people after your life. Perhaps Levi had been watching you for too long. He couldn’t help but wish that he was able to protect you from himself.

* * *

Levi watched as the first competitor began her skate. The large crowd in the rink gave him the perfect chance to blend in while still sitting close to you, although all he could see was the back of your head. You were chatting with your friends excitedly, clapping as the announcer’s voice rang out, who stated the name of the skater. 

He eyed you with curiosity as you cheered for every contestant. Whether you knew them or not, you applauded their jumps, you shouted encouragement when they fell, and you bounced with joy as they successfully finished their program. Levi marvelled at your innocence. To root for what was by all means your friend’s competition was unthought of to him. It must be strange, he supposed, to see them not as enemies, but as people to support. It was an outlook Levi couldn’t afford to have if he wanted to stay alive.

Finally, your friend stepped onto the ice, wearing a short black dress - embellished with white sparkles - that matched her dark hair. The announcer called her name.

_Representing America, Mikasa Ackerman!_

The crowd drowned out Levi’s thoughts. He had made the mistake of focusing more on you, and less on your friends. Mikasa _Ackerman_. Could her last name simply be a coincidence? Levi pulled out his phone, quickly sending Bertholdt a text. He would need more information later.

“Go Mikasa!” You cheered. Even from a distance Levi could hear you.

Behind him, a commentator began to speak yet again as the music started. 

_She’s a star… Very high expectations… First jump is a quad lutz…_

Without warning, the hairs on Levi’s neck stood on end. Something was wrong.

_She landed it! Incredible! Nineteen and still hitting quads!_

You were still sitting a few seats in front of him, cheering for your friend. You were safe, yet Levi’s instincts told him the opposite. You were in danger.

_Next, a triple axel triple toe… can she make it?_

When had watching and planning to kill you turned into protecting you?

_And she’s done it again! A beautiful landing!_

Levi jerked his head around. Behind him, standing at the top of the bleachers, was the hooded man in your sociology class. Only this time, without the hood and directly facing Levi, his face was in plain view. 

Levi cursed himself for not having recognized the man earlier. Although he had evidently aged and grown a short beard, the tall man’s brown hair and devilish smile remained the same. His signature bowler hat sat atop his head. 

Glaring, Levi’s eyes met those of Kenny Ackerman.

After a pregnant pause, Kenny smirked, nonchalantly making his way down the stairs of the bleachers. He turned a corner, presumably heading outside, waving to Levi as if daring him to follow.

Fine.

Levi stood up. If that’s what Kenny wanted, then he would oblige. As Levi walked away, the commentator’s narration grew faint, until it became completely inaudible.

What he didn't notice was you watching him leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really had to fight the urge to make Levi say "KEEEEEENNNY!!!!!" here...
> 
> Anyways I'm super excited to write the upcoming chapters so bear with me!


	5. Chapter 5

Levi found himself in a cluttered alley behind the rink’s parking lot. Although full of cars, the area behind him was deserted, with the owners of them presumably watching the skating competition. The man he had been following stood a safe distance from him.

“Kenny. What the hell are you doing here.”

Levi’s hand, hidden in his coat pocket, brushed against one of the many guns he kept on himself. He was ready to use it at a moment's notice if necessary.

“Oi, Levi, what’s with that rude greeting,” Kenny grinned, “After all these years, and not even a simple hello?”

“I said, what the hell are you doing here,” Levi growled, eyes shining dangerously.

He knew why Kenny was here. It had to be you.

“I’m disappointed, isn’t it obvious? We’re after the same person.”

So he had been right. Despite that, Levi still couldn’t help but feel apprehensive. Two different people putting hits on you at the same time? He had never encountered such a scenario before.

“Who are you working for?” Levi interrogated. Like himself, Kenny was no doubt being paid a hefty sum from his employer.

“Does it matter?” Kenny shrugged, “Anyways, I’ll be the one to take her down.”

Of course Kenny wouldn’t reveal whoever he was working for.

“Touch her and I’ll kill you. She’s mine.”

“Oho, Levi,” Kenny sneered, “Don’t tell me you’ve grown to care about the girl?”

“Tch, you seem to have forgotten that she’s worth most of my pay, Kenny.”

“Or are you just trying to protect her?”

Levi glared at Kenny with malice. Despite the numerous questions crowding his head, he knew that Kenny wouldn’t reveal anything important. He was smart enough not to do so.

Weighing his options, Levi motionlessly grabbed the gun in his pocket. Kenny wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. As such, Levi had to act accordingly. Letting Kenny get to you was out of the question. He had invested far too much time in this job to be losing his pay. However, taking Kenny down could have serious repercussions, and Levi had his own life and yours to think about.

In a split second, Levi made his decision. Injure, but not kill. If he could hit Kenny and wound him enough to prevent him from running, there was a chance he could extract information from him.

Kenny seemed to know what was coming. In a flash, Levi drew his gun, firing at the older man. Seemingly ready for the attack, Kenny dodged to the left. He grunted in pain as the bullet lodged itself into his arm, wincing.

Shit. If there was anyone other than himself that could have avoided that, it’d be Kenny. Levi ducked behind a few wooden crates in the alley as Kenny pulled out a gun of his own.

“I’m afraid I’m not allowed to kill you yet,” Kenny hollered, “And I think I’ve learned enough from our little conversation here.”

Levi frowned. Not allowed to kill him? There were people who would pay hundreds of thousands for whoever could bring them the head of the infamous "Captain".

“Anyways, see ya Levi.”

With everything Kenny seemed to know, Levi couldn’t let him escape. Darting out from behind the crates, Levi froze as Kenny fired several warning shots, the bullets whizzing by his head. Kenny hadn’t been lying about not killing him. He had missed on purpose. Despite that, Levi was forced to return to his hiding spot. He couldn’t risk dying yet, and Kenny knew that. 

Levi watched as Kenny ran down the alley. It would be easy to shoot him now, but the risk was too great. The taller man possessed valuable information. Information that could reveal the truth of this convoluted situation.

As Kenny turned a corner, Levi darted after him in pursuit. Turning the same corner, he swore. The alley led to an empty road, albeit for a black car. One car, which Kenny was climbing into the back seat of.

Levi clenched his jaw in frustration. He was too late. From what he knew, Kenny never worked with others. So why was he now?

This job had suddenly become a lot more complicated.

* * *

“I swear there’s someone following me!”

Mikasa’s skate had finished. As expected, she easily won gold, sweeping her competition off their feet. You weren’t sure why Eren and Jean had decided to bring everyone to A&W for her celebration, but you guessed that it had to do with their usually strict diet.

Armin frowned. “What do you mean someone’s following you?” 

You were sure that you sounded like you were going mad, yet you couldn’t shake the feeling that someone had been watching you for months now. After what you had seen at the rink, it was as though your suspicions were confirmed.

“I don’t know, but I swear it always feels like someone’s always watching me. It’s been going on for months! At first I thought it was nothing, but today I saw these suspicious looking men at the rink, and they left halfway between your skate, Mikasa!”

Mikasa considered your words carefully, resting her chin on her hand.

“Maybe you’re just imagining it,” Sasha suggested hopefully. 

“Or maybe you have a secret admirer,” Jean smirked, causing Eren to hit him over the head. 

“I don’t know…” You muttered. You knew your friends were simply trying to comfort you, yet your feeling of unease lingered.

“I agree with you.”

You turned to Mikasa, surprised.

“You do? How come?”

“I’ve noticed things too. I didn’t want to worry you until I was certain.”

The comfortable atmosphere surrounding your group quickly grew stale. Mikasa had always had a strangely accurate sixth sense, and if she agreed with you, it meant that you were likely right about being followed.

“(y/n),” Armin began thoughtfully, “What if this has to do with your dad?”

The thought had crossed your mind before as well.

“I mean,” he continued, “Your dad is bound to have made some enemies throughout his career. The more successful he is, the more enemies he makes. Didn’t he recently take down an important figure in a large crime organization? I saw it on the news.”

You nodded in agreement. Armin was right. Your dad had told you the basics of what happened over the phone, or at least whatever wasn’t considered classified information. He had been working the case on and off since you were a child, which was one of the reasons that the both of you had become so emotionally attached to it. Taking down the second in command was a big break in the case, and your dad had been elated.

“Essentially, what you mean is that I could be targeted because of my dad’s work, right?” You eyed your friends nervously.

Sitting quietly, they looked just as worried as you felt. Eren’s eyes darkened. Breaking the silence, he slammed his hands on the table, standing up.

“You have to do something about this! Can’t you call the police?”

You shook your head. “I have no evidence, only a hunch. But I’ll call my dad tonight and let him know. I’m sure he’ll know what I should do, and maybe he can have this looked into.”

Although your friends still seemed apprehensive, they visibly relaxed upon hearing your proposal.

“Anyways,” you continued, “It’s getting late and I have to walk home, so I should be heading out now.”

“Do you want me to drive you?” Mikasa offered.

You took a moment to think. The apartment you lived in was far from the one that Mikasa shared with Armin and Eren. She would not only have to drive longer, but would also have to leave early with the two boys.

“Don’t worry about it guys,” you smiled, “It’s only a short walk to my place.”

You waved goodbye to your friends as you left the restaurant, the door jingling behind you. Outside, the crisp, late night air filled your lungs as you took in a deep breath, smiling. Your friends had taken your worries seriously, and you couldn’t have been more grateful for their concern for you. 

Walking down the paved sidewalk, you couldn’t help but feel that tomorrow held something good in store for you. Surely your father would be able to find whoever was following you.

Of course, you were wrong.

You cried out as a sharp pain radiated from the back of your head, knocking you off balance. Something had hit you, and it hit you hard. You were only able to form one coherent thought before another blow to the head knocked you out cold, the world fading into darkness. You seriously wished that you had taken Mikasa up on her offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Sorry for the slight wait for this chapter. I finally got Pokemon Sword and Shield and I have been absolutely obsessed with it recently. Anyways, thanks so much to everyone for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

You groaned, a dull pain shooting up your spine. Was it time for class already? No, you realized with confusion that you were sitting upright, rather than lying in your bed. As you opened your eyes, a blinding light filled your vision, worsening your already pounding head.

What was going on?

Your heart jolted as you remembered the events following Mikasa’s skate. Where were you? Taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, your breathing began to quicken as a suffocating panic rose in your chest. You were tied to a chair, one that was bolted to the ground, you noticed as you struggled futilely. With your hands zip tied behind the chair, and your feet tied in a similar fashion in front of you, your range of movement was seriously limited.

The concrete floor beneath you was gray and cracked, as were the walls. Whatever building you were being held in had evidently been abandoned long ago. Water trickled from a gap in the ceiling, resulting in a rhythmic drip, drip, drip, that was sure to drive you mad with time.

Heart still pounding in your chest, you looked around desperately for any signs of your location, but the room was empty albeit for you and your chair. Twisting your head around, a dull pain radiating from your injury caused you to wince. You were certain that adrenaline was the only thing preventing you from experiencing the full force of your injury.

Behind you and to your right was a wooden door, which you presumed would lead into another just as dreary room. Even if you somehow managed to escape your restraints, there were likely people beyond that door who would easily capture you again.

How long had you been out? Surely your friends would be suspicious if you weren’t at class, but you couldn’t be certain if it was even time for class yet. Either way, once they noticed your absence, you were confident they would report it to your father, especially after last night’s conversation. Before you could continue this thread of thought, the door behind you opened with a clang, startling you.

You clenched your jaw as slow, deliberate footsteps reached your ears. You weren’t about to give these people the satisfaction of your screams, nor would you plead for mercy. What you assumed to be one of your captors revealed himself, beady eyes staring down at you with contempt. His deep voice echoed about the room.

“Run and we will kill you. Scream and we will kill you. Fail to obey our orders and we will kill you.”

So, basically, doing anything equated to death. You noted how the man had said we, rather than I. He wasn’t working alone.

“What do you want with me?” You growled, attempting to mask the fear in your voice.

The man chose not to reply, instead pulling out a flip phone. With his other hand, he nonchalantly raised a gun to your head. You immediately paled. Was he going to kill you, no matter what you did?

“You will speak into this phone. You will say that you are alright, you have no injuries, but that your time is running out.”

Your heart thumped heavily in your chest as your captor dialed a number. It rang a few times before a familiar voice greeted you.

“Hello?”

“D- dad?” You stuttered back, eyes wide with shock.

“(y/n), thank god you’re alive, are you hurt? Are you okay?”

Your father’s sigh of relief was evident from the other end of the call. Your friends must have noticed your absence and told him. Before you could reply, the cold muzzle of a gun was violently shoved against your head, causing you to gasp in surprise. Right. Your lines.

“Um, I’m okay. I’m not hurt, but,” your voice broke in fear, “I’m running out of time.”

You winced upon hearing your dad’s evidently panicked voice, words quickly spilling from his mouth.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of there. You’re going to be fine. Everything’s going to be o-”

Before he could finish, the call cut off, and you were left in silence. The pressure of the gun resting on the side of your head was removed, and you let out a small sigh of relief. Your relief was abruptly stifled as the man with the phone spoke, opening the door to leave the room.

“You will be kept alive. For now. Let us hope your father is enough to save you.”

Your father. Why had they called him? It would be easy to simply kill you and reveal your death to him afterwards. You remembered what Armin had implied earlier. Your captors were likely doing this for revenge, and what better way to cause your dad pain than to show him you were alive, but that he was too late to save you? It was the only explanation.

The door behind you closed with a slam, and you were left on your own once again. Eventually, you lost track of the time, slipping in and out of consciousness in a foggy haze.

The sound of muffled bangs and panicked screams broke you out of your trance. Those bangs were familiar, a noise ingrained within you. What were they again? You awoke with a start as you realized just what they were. Gunshots.

Had your dad found you already? No, you weren’t sure how much time had passed since the call, and you doubted that he would be able to trace it anyways. Fear coursed through your veins. If this wasn’t him, then who was it?

A loud crash and the sound of wood splintering caused you to flinch. Before you could turn around, a man appeared in front of you, causing you to look up in surprise.

Piercing grey eyes met yours, with a few strands of black hair, parted in the middle, dangling over them. The man’s expression was molded into a disdainful frown, giving him an air of annoyance, as though this entire situation was a minor inconvenience. He held a pistol, and as he reached towards you, you momentarily feared that he was going to use it.

Instead, gloved hands grabbed your restraints.

“What are you-?” You cried, promptly cut off by a glare from the shorter man.

Your jaw dropped as he proceeded to rip the zip tie around your ankles as though it were made of paper. Was that physically possible? Your eyes went even wider as he did the same with the zip tie around your hands and the rope around your waist.

“How did you do that?!”

Your so called saviour shot you an irritated look. “We don’t have time for questions. If you want to live, follow me.”

You paused, weighing your options. Distant voices grew louder, signaling that there were more people after you than you had initially thought. Whoever this man was, he was right in assuming that you would need help. All your instincts screamed not to trust him, yet you knew you wouldn’t be able to make it out alive by yourself.

You stood up shakily, and despite your fear, mustered a determined look on your face. Taking a deep breath, you spoke.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

“Follow me, and don’t fall behind. There’ll be a staircase to our left after we leave this room.”

You nodded. Before you were able to take even a single step, a woman materialized at the doorway, blocking your escape. You looked to the man who had untied you desperately, but his eyes were trained on the woman. What now?

Without hesitating, he raised his pistol, easily pulling the trigger. The crack of the gunshot shook you to your core as the body of the woman limply fell with a thump. For a second, you were surrounded in silence, ears ringing.

“What the hell are you doing?!” You exclaimed, rushing to her side.

The woman's light brown eyes, now devoid of all life, were glassy and unseeing. Blood trickled from the bullet hole embedded in the dead centre of her forehead. Shivers ran down your spine at the sight. The man who had so readily stole her life looked unbothered.

“You killed her!” Your shock quickly turned into outrage, “How could you kill her so easily!?”

The answer you were given was straightforward.

“It was us or her. We have to leave, now.”

You gritted your teeth. “How do I know if I can trust you? I don’t even know who you are, and I just watched you shoot somebody in the head!”

“I wouldn’t go through all this trouble saving you only to kill you afterwards,” the man replied, “And right now, I’m your best chance of surviving this.”

He was right. Why kill you after risking his life for you? The fact that you’d probably never make it out of the building without his help only solidified your decision. Whoever this guy was, he knew what he was doing. The questions racing through your head would have to wait, at least until you were safe.

“I’ll follow you,” you muttered quietly, “For now.”

The man acknowledged your words with a silent nod, and you followed him outside the room you had been locked in.

You prayed that you had made the right decision in doing so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, after a slightly long hiatus I'm back! I haven't forgotten about this fic yet, and I have a lot more plans for it in the future that I'm really excited for. So bear with me, and as usual, thank you so much for reading!!


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